The Friends of Reid State Park (FRSP) has installed a battery powered time-lapse camera at the park’s Mile Beach. The initiative was conceived and developed by Project Manager Gary Pankey, in consultation with the Park Manager and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, & Forestry (DACF).
As you know, the ocean is constantly changing the topography of beaches. This is dramatically manifested during severe storms such as we have recently experienced. There is ample evidence at RSP of the damage that can result. Mile and Half Mile beaches are slowly rebuilding, but it will take years, and they will never be the same. That is nature’s way, albeit magnified by our changing climate. This camera will take a still photo of the beach every 10 minutes, during the off hours of the park. The settings are controlled by a smartphone app and an on-site secure wi-fi connection. The images will be retrieved from the camera’s data storage card and will be merged, producing a short video showing wave, beach, and dune activity and movement of the beach and documenting changes that occur. Over time, this will be a visual record of beach conditions.
Check back here periodically for videos of the time-lapse footage.
We are in a testing phase to determine the most effective frequency of snapshots and the best perspective for camera settings. I will advise when the videos will be available on our site. The files will also be provided to DACF for their use in monitoring changes to the beach.
Gary Pankey preparing the site for installation
Gary Pankey programming the camera
The installed camera
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